Heat Wave
by vicsmoria
Summary: At the Task Force training camp, the heat is too much to handle for a certain pair of soldiers. Captain MacTavish and my female COD character!
1. Heat,and Boys,and Grenades Oh my!

***Hello once again. It is yours truly, Victoria. Now I wrote this story about a year ago but I think it's about time I dug it out, polished it, and shared it with you. For all who are wondering who Ashlotte Riley is, she is a character I created because of my love for Call of Duty Modern Warfare. She is Ghost's little sister and Soap's particular love interest! And no, she is nothing like the Ashlotte from Soul Caliber 4! I just think the name is pretty. So please enjoy and tell me what you think of Ash. I truly believe Call of Duty needs a female to keep the men in order ;)*******

It was an abnormally hot day up at the small training camp that was located up on the peak of an arid mountain. Usually the heat was bearable, but the sun was merciless today and released its endless wrath upon Task Force 141. The entire Task Force was working hard on developing their skills to aid them in battle. Each soldier was either testing their agility on the numerous obstacle courses, rock climbing by the cliff side, or just simply lifting weights, doing push-ups, the usual. The rigorous training sessions were hard enough, the heat just added to everyone's misery. If you weren't covered in sweat with aching muscles, you weren't working hard enough.

The sun continued to beam down upon the training site, and for a certain female soldier, she just couldn't take the heat. Ashlotte Riley grit her teeth together and clenched her fist, piercing her own skin with her nails. "Grrr…I _hate _training." She growled under her breath. "Especially when its this DAMN HOT OUT!" She roared while throwing her arms up in frustration. A few stray soldiers who were in the vicinity stopped what they were doing and stared at her for a moment, puzzled. Everyone was used to Ashlotte's constant complaining and outbursts so they shook it off and continued what they were doing. All except John 'Soap' MacTavish. He laughed heartily at her frustration.

"Ha ha, is the heat getting to you Ashy?" He chuckled while placing his hand on her shoulder. She gave him a frosty glare that could cover the entire mountain in snow. She violently brushed him off of her.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Never, and I mean _never, _call me Ashy! It's either Ashlotte or simply Ash! You wouldn't want me calling you Soapy, now would you?" She ranted while pacing back and forth out of frustration. He simply laughed again.

"But everyone calls you Ash. That's no fun for me. I want to have my own nickname for you." He said with a mock pout. For a twenty-six year old, Ash thought he acted like a six year old. That made Ash embarrassed, but she just assumed that was because she thought it was a disgrace for a man of his age and ranking. Nothing more.

"I could care less! Don't call me Ashy! End of story!" She concluded. A mischievous smirk spread across his face.

"Alright, your wish is my command…Ashy." He snickered. Something inside Ash's mind snapped and she lunged at him. Soap was prepared for this reaction and he held his arms out in defense. While she was furiously pounding away at him, Captain Price and her older brother, Ghost, were watching close by. Ghost sighed at his sister's short temper and rubbed his temples through his skeleton mask. Price watched her intently.

"She's a feisty one, your sister." Price noted while adjusting the brim of his hat in attempt to shield his face from the unforgiving sun. Ghost looked up at his Captain and nodded in complete agreement.

"Indeed. Especially around Soap…that worries me beyond belief." He groaned. Price looked at him, confused to why he was so upset about this.

"They get along very well. Always have ever since they joined the S.A.S." Price noted while staring off into the distance, reminiscing about his days in the S.A.S. Ghost left Price to his trip down memory lane and continued to examine Soap and Ash. He felt a pang of worry for her.

"My dear sister…" He whimpered, hoping Soap wouldn't infuriate her too much. Meanwhile, Ash was getting worn out from beating Soap. The heat made her tired quicker and easier and she eventually let up. Soap took note of this.

"What's this? The ferocious Ashlotte is giving up?" He joked. She huffed and turned away from him and stormed off in the other direction.

"Forget it! I'd rather use my energy for something meaningful rather then killing you! I'm going over there." She hissed and continued stomping away. She brought her foot down obliviously onto a small ditch that looked man-made. Once her boot made contact with the rocky terrain almost as if on queue, the ground shot up and the sound of an explosion boomed followed by the sound of Ashlotte's screams. She had stepped on some sort of training grenade, sending bits and pieces of stray shrapnel into her ankle. They were buried too deep into her skin to merely pluck out and it hurt to simply stand. She fell over and writhed in pain. Everyone turned their attention to Ashlotte and rushed over to her.

"Ashlotte!" Soap screamed as he forcefully pushed through the throng of people that had now swarmed around Ash's quivering body like a pack of wild wolves. Ghost and Price followed closely behind Soap as well. Whispers of concern and worry spread throughout the crown like wildfire and finally Soap and Ghost managed to break through the wall of people.

"Are you alright sis?" Ghost asked, his voice full of concern. Ash held her throbbing ankle and glared at her brother for asking such a stupid question.

"I'm ugh fine…" She grumbled. She glanced at her hand that once held her wound and she felt the color from her face drain. Her palm was completely dyed red with her own blood. It looked like a ripe pomegranate exploded in her hand. Before she could begin to hyperventilate, Price pulled up her torn cargo pants, tossed her boot aside, and began to thoroughly examine her fresh wound. After a minute of poking and prodding, he nodded his head and mumbled something under his breath. Ash raised her eyebrow questioningly.

"Don't worry. It's nothing serious. Just a bit of shrapnel in your leg. It must have been from a training mine that no one bothered to tell anyone about." Price growled, annoyed that someone would be so careless in his presence. He carefully lowered Ash's leg back onto the ground. "You should get to the infirmary immediately. I'm worried if we leave your leg like that too long it might cause permanent damage." Ash gulped nervously and twiddled her thumbs. She needed something to do with her hands to distract her from the situation.

"Do you want me to escort you to the infirmary?" Soap asked while extending his hand down towards Ash. She glared at him, as if she was furious he was offering to help her when she needed it. She rudely swatted his hand away and slowly stood up, ignoring the stabbing pain in her ankle. Looking like a weak, useless girl in front of all her colleagues was a thousand times worse then the grenade puzzle pieces embedded in her leg. She started to limp away but her efforts were in vain; after a few steps she immediately fell back right where she started. She heard a few stifled laughs at her misfortune and she felt a blush creep up her face. She cursed under her breath and attempted to rise to her feet once more.

Soap sighed and walked over to Ash, clearly fed up with her sorry attempts to walk when she was in no condition to. He swept Ash off of her feet and began to carry her Princess Style, leaving behind a crowd of bewildered soldiers. Ash felt her face turn a deeper shade of red as Soap carried her. "Put me down you monster! Put me down this instant! I can walk on my own, I'm not a child!" Ash screeched while pounding against Soap's chest ferociously. He just ignored her demands and continued to walk on; Ash's punches not having any effect on him. He noted the small trail of blood her ankle was leaving on the sandy terrain.

"Can't leave that untreated." He said while gently placing her down on the ground. Ash attempted to crawl away but Soap had her locked in place by her ankle. He quickly removed his shirt and tightly wrapped it around her wound; the blood immediately soaking through the fabric once it made contact with her skin. He carefully picked her back up, not aware Ash was turning a deep shade of red. She felt even more embarrassed now that Soap was shirtless.

"Let me go! NOW!" She demanded; Soap laughed lightly and looked at her.

"Would you rather me carry you over my shoulder?" He asked teasingly, already knowing what her answer would be.

"Yes! It's much less embarrassing then appearing to be some weak little girl who can't handle herself!" She hissed coldly, her face still beet red. He just laughed lightly.

"Well then, I won't do that since you want me to." He snickered. Ash could tell he was satisfied whenever he infuriated her and this was no different. She felt something deep inside her snap but it was best to just stay quiet and not make a scene. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

"Fine…" She mumbled. Soap thought she would be safer and more secure if she held onto his neck. But she was being stubborn and tried to touch him as little as she could.

"Aren't you going to hang onto me?" He asked in a teasing way, a smirk spreading across his face.

"I'm quite alright thank you very much." She deadpanned. His smirk widened and he decided he was going to be a tad cruel to her. Knowing Ash was terrified of heights; he went off the original course and headed toward the cliff side. He didn't get dangerously close, but just close enough to scare her. He looked out towards the horizon; the afternoon sun at its zenith and sent warm, orange rays throughout the ocean blue sky.

"Nice view, isn't it Ashy?" He asked maliciously while smiling out at the sky. Her face turned a ghostly pale and beads of sweat formed at her brow when she realized just how high up they were. A tiny yelp escaped from her throat and she quickly clung to Soap. She dug her nails deep into his bare skin and tremors of fear shook throughout her entire body. Soap gave her a sadistic smile; he knew he was being cruel to her but it was the only way he could get her to hold on to him. He was only thinking of her safety…that was all.

Ash's blush returned when she came to her senses and realized what she was doing. She was extremely close to him; his bare chest was so warm and she could hear his heart beating gently in his chest. It was calming to her in an odd, unexplainable way. _When did he get so muscular? Why didn't I notice this before? Is this the same man I joined the S.A.S with? _Ash thought to herself. Little did she know that Soap was thinking similar thoughts about her.

As Soap was walking, Ash's long, jet-black hair was gently brushing against his bare chest. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw her breast lightly bouncing up and down as he walked. He felt himself getting a bit flustered and his skin heated up; something told him that wasn't because of the heat. _Whoa, she's really grown up a bit. Her hair is a lot longer and her breasts have…grown a bit as well. Impressive. _He thought to himself. Both of them remained silent for the rest of the journey to the infirmary, trying to push those thoughts out of their minds.

When they reached the infirmary, which was merely a small tent lined with bandages, multiple different lotions and fluids, and other required utensils for a doctor. The officer who was the camp's assigned doctor looked up. He seemed a bit confused to see Soap and Ash but once he noticed the blood soaked shirt tied around her ankle, his confused expression was washed away and replaced with a worried look. "Bloody Hell! What happened to her?" He asked while rushing over to the duo.

"Training grenade of some sort, sent shrapnel pieces into her leg. You think you can remove them as painlessly as possible?" Soap asked. The doctor looked away from Soap from a moment, mumbling something under his breath, and then looked back at him with a forced smile on his face.

"Most definite! Here, place her here." He said while patting a small, stiff cot. Soap gently lowered her down onto the cot, sending a small plume of dust into the air. Ash thought it smelt like sweat and rubbing alcohol. The doctor gently untied Soap's makeshift bandage from Ash's ankle and gasped, a bit taken aback from her wound. It had become a bit swollen and the excess blood had crusted over and turned a dark shade of maroon. "Yikes…that looks pretty bad but nothing to worry about." He reassured as he gathered up a few materials.

He took a small cloth and dabbed some mysterious fluid onto it and picked up a pair of tweezers to remove the shrapnel pieces with. "Um, this might sting a bit…" He warned her. Ash winced, preparing for the pain as he rubbed the cloth over her wound. She felt as if her skin was on fire as the cleaning fluid seeped into her skin. She bit down on her lip, tasting a bit of blood, and she clamped down on Soap's hand tightly. Soap let out a gasp of pain at Ash's strength but tried his best not to show it. "There we go." The doctor sighed in relief while tossing the cloth stained with Ash's blood into a wastebasket. "Now comes the hard part…" He sighed while clicking the tweezers together, making Ash gulp nervously.

Ash realized she was still clutching Soap's hand and quickly released it and looked away. Soap looked at her for a moment then turned to go. "Well, I'll just get out of your way then." He said, a hint of sadness in his voice. Before he left, he felt a small tug on his hand. He looked over his shoulder and saw Ash clutching his hand with a worried expression on her face. She looked like a little kid who didn't want her parents to leave her on the first day of school. "What, you _want _me to stay Ashy?" He asked while raising an eyebrow. Ash's eyes widened in shock and she quickly let go of his hand.

"No…I was just…reflex. My hand reached out on reflex…that's all." She whispered while twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. He smiled warmly at her and ruffled her hair.

"Alright if you insist. I'll come back for you later then." He said and he turned to walk away. Ash placed her hands on her head, trying to fix her hair, and she stared at him. She wondered what that was all about. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of metal clacking together repeatedly.

"Okay…" The doctor said while holding up the tweezers. They seemed to glow in a menacing way as the afternoon sun reflected off of them. "Lets get this over with, shall we?" He chuckled while strapping Ash's leg down on the cot. He knew Ash would fidget and kick and to avoid the risk of a broken nose, he took precaution and strapped her down. Ash felt her heart sink into her stomach and she clenched her fist together until they turned white. She braced for pain, a lot of pain. And for the next few hours, all you could hear were Ash's screams of excruciating pain echoing off the mountain walls and drift off into the sky.


	2. A Little Exercise to Clear Your Thoughts

***Ha! Did anyone get pissed off with douchey doctor in the first chapter? I don't get why Soap was so cool with him. I really should give him a name…oh well! If you have any suggestions let me know. Enjoy Chapter 2!*******

"Alright…all done! You are now free to go." The doctor said cheerfully while cleaning off the tweezers; which were now stained ruby red with Ash's blood. The twenty something shrapnel pieces-Ash lost count as they were being ripped out of her skin- sat in a messy pile in a metal bowl. The doctor swirled the bowl in small, circular motions and watched the metal bits roll around.

Ash glared at him icily, annoyed he showed no concern and actually seemed like he took joy in operating on her leg. She scratched the bandage, aggravated. She was annoyed at the bastard doctor, annoyed that Soap made her look like a useless princess, and annoyed that the gauze that was tightly wrapped around her leg was itching her skin. Damn it all to hell.

She tried flexing her leg, attempting to stretch the strained muscles, but moving it alone felt like a thousand knives stabbing her. "Great…just great." She mumbled. A determined look flickered on her face. "No! I won't let this stop me! I'm Ashlotte Riley! I've looked death in the face and spat at in it! I'm going to continue training like nothing ever happened at all." She said, throwing a fist up into the air, symbolizing the end of her self-given pep talk. The doctor overheard her little spectacle and stood in front of her menacingly.

"I don't think so Little Miss." He said in a condescending tone. Ash resisted the urge to kick him in his oh-so-private areas. "You aren't doing anything with your leg in that condition. You better take it easy for a while. You know, maybe just sit on the sidelines and watch for a week." Ash couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had the impact of the grenade gone straight to her head and she was merely dreaming what the doctor was explaining to her? Sadly not.

Ash felt her blood boil in her veins; she had not worked her arse off for years just to be scolded and told she couldn't train with a sore ankle. "You've got to be kidding me!" She growled, making the doctor take a few steps back. He held his hands up in defense in case Ash decided to pounce on him like a hungry tiger.

"I'm just trying to keep you safe and prevent permanent damage! How would you feel if you would need a cane just to walk? You wouldn't want that now would you?" He said franticly, trying to get as far away from the infuriated Ash as possible.

She paused and thought about it for a moment. In order to become the Task Force's top soldier, she would need to be in tip-top condition. She couldn't do that while hobbling around on some cane. She sighed in defeat. "No…" The doctor released a held breath and approached her.

"Good. Look on the bright side though." He began with an encouraging smile. Ash shot him a look that made it look like the whole world was ending and that there was and never would be a bright side. His smile immediately faded away and he cleared his throat. "You get a day off for now. So, relax, read a book. Just take it easy." He advised and turned back to cleaning his equipment.

Ash stared helplessly at the ground, a rush of different emotions going through her. Rage because of the doctor's arrogance and for her clumsiness, embarrassment because she would most likely be seen as a weak girl in the eyes of her fellow soldiers, disappointment because she was going to fall behind in training, and confusion as to what was going on between her and Soap. Ash felt her face grow hot. She couldn't just stay in this shabby, makeshift infirmary and sulk all day. She needed fresh air.

She shifted herself on the cot and hopped off, a small plume of dirt forming in the air as her boots hit the ground. Slowly she began to limp towards the exit of the cramped tent. "Hey! Wait, where are you going? Aren't you waiting for MacTavish to come get you?" The doctor asked, turning his attention back towards Ash. She stopped in her tracks for a moment and turned back to look at him, giving him a cold glare that could make any man stop and quiver in fear.

"I do not need HIS help. And if he wants me, he can come find me." She hissed icily and turned on her heels in the other direction, leaving the doctor speechless and shaking. Meanwhile, Soap was making his way back to the infirmary, experiencing similar conflicting feelings. He dragged his feet along the earthy terrain, his hand placed on his sweaty forehead.

"Oh my god…" He began, his face turning a pale shade of red; and he was pretty sure it wasn't because of the intense heat. "She was so adorable when I picked her up, her face was so red. And then when she grabbed my hand before I left, she was so cute." He sighed to himself. He paused for a moment, slapping his forehead in aggravation. _Ugh…I sound so odd talking about her like this. _He thought to himself. _I mean, I've always had extremely strong feelings for her, but she probably can't stand me. She sure does bark at me a lot. _He thought sadly and continued on his way; keeping his thoughts quiet the entire time.

Once he entered the infirmary tent, he scanned the rows of cots for Ash. But each one was empty and untouched. "Hey, where's Ashy?" Soap asked in confusion. The doctor turned towards Soap, still clearly a bit shaken from Ash's wrath.

"S-she left about ten minutes ago! I couldn't stop her; she looked like she was about to kill me! If you're going after her I advise you take caution!" He said, his voice shaking. Soap tried to contain a chuckle; Ash always seemed to make other men on the Task Force fear her and this guy was no exception.

"I'll be fine. I know how to deal with her mate." He advised. The doctor stared at him in disbelief. "I know her better then anyone. Don't be fooled by her harmless appearance. When's she's mad, she's like a lioness." He joked; the doctor found that hard to believe but he just nodded at Soap as he turned and dashed off in the other direction in pursuit of the missing Princess Ashlotte.

***Finally done! I'm so sorry that it took so long but I know you all were anticipating it! XD Spring break threw me off course, I'll have chapter 3 up soon!*******


	3. Talk About Awkward!

*** Well here we are, another chapter of Heat Wave done! I just can't begin to describe my happiness with all the support I'm getting! I honestly didn't think this story would be this popular. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy. Hehe this is where stuff gets intense. ***

The sun was slowly beginning it's descent into night as it leisurely dipped behind the mountains across the horizon. The once blue sky was now decorated with various shades of pink and cream. A cool evening breeze kissed Ash's cheeks as she stared out into the vast horizon, her eyes empty and sad. She placed her head on her knees and groaned. "What the bloody 'ell happened today?" She groaned as she wrapped her arms around her knees. "God damn it! Why was Soap so damn willing to pick me up? And then when he eagerly took of his…" She stopped mid-sentence, feeling all the blood rush to her face. She clenched her fist until her knuckles turned a ghostly white.

"AGHHHHHH FORGET IT!" She shouted, hearing her voice echo and bounce of the canyon walls. She placed a gloved hand on her forehead and sighed softly. "I admit it…I guess I was a _tad _happy when he did pick me up. But…" She stopped, leaning back against a stray boulder and fiddled with the tip of her braid. "He probably only sees me as a little sister since we've known each other for so long." She mumbled under her breath. Yes, she had a small crush on Soap, but she knew she had to keep that feeling buried down inside her. She couldn't give anything away; she didn't want to make things awkward between her and Soap.

She looked back out at the horizon; now that her self-scolding session was over she could finally drink in the picture-perfect moment. _I suppose all this training has distracted me from seeing the simple pleasures of nature. _She thought, the sun reflecting in her ocean blue eyes. She slowly rose to her feet, still wary of straining her ankle. Taking cautious, tentative steps, she walked closer towards the cliff's edge, ignoring her conscious screaming at her to back up. She was terrified of extreme heights, but the creamy sky momentarily distracted her.

She rubbed her neck gently and sighed happily. "I wish I had my camera with me, then I could've-" She began, but was interrupted by a sickening crack. "What the-" But before Ash could act, the ground under her crumbled and gave way, causing her to lose her balance on her good foot. Ash tried to regain her balance and slammed her other ankle down, but a searing pain shot through her leg and it was no use. She clamped her eyes shut and prepared for the wind whipping past her ears. She would fall to her death and they would have to recover her mangled body from the depths of the canyon. What would everyone say? How would Ghost and Soap react?

A minute past-it seemed like a lifetime to Ash-but she was still in the same spot. _Wasn't I supposed to be falling? _She thought, bemused but relieved. A pair of large, firm hands were wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her back onto sturdy ground. Normally, Ash would be pounding whoever was touching her so foully to a pulp, but right now she slightly appreciated it. She technically owed whoever saved her, her life.

"My God! Are you alright Ashy?" An oh-so-familiar voice asked.

_ Oh boy here we go… _She thought. She whipped around to face Soap's warm eyes. She slapped his hands, which seemed a bit _too_ comfortable around her, away. "DON'T touch me and DON'T call me that!" She spat, the venom practically dripping on her every word. Soap's face dropped like a child who was just scolded by his mother.

"You're welcome…" He said in a ashamed tone of voice. Ash was acting like he had just hacked off her hair instead of saved her from breaking every bone in her body by falling down a cliff. She glared at him, fury ablaze in her eyes. She felt a slight pang of guilt for snapping at him, but he had made her seem weak and useless again.

"I'm going back! Don't follow me!" She growled. She tried her best to strut past Soap, trying her best to ignore the burning feeling in her ankle, but it was no use. Her ankle gave out _yet _again and she fell directly into Soap's arms. _Seriously…this day is just getting worse and worse…why don't you just kick me off the Task Force next! Really make my day!_ She screamed in her head, as she remained frozen in Soap's arms.

Soap kept a firm hold on Ash so she wouldn't fall onto the rocky terrain. He leaned down to see if she was all right and if she needed any assistance, even though he already knew the answer. "Hey Ashy are you-" He began to ask. Ash looked up at the same time, preparing to bark some snide comment at him.

"Don't call m-" She began, but both of them were cut off mid-sentence when their lips met in unison. There eyes both became as wide as saucers and their faces were redder than a basket of strawberries. Their lips lingered on one another for a moment, both of them still trying to process what was happening. Ash's body and nerves finally registered what was happening, and she scuttled backwards until her back met with another boulder. Shaking, she placed a hand over her mouth, still warm from the unexpected contact with Soap's. She turned her back to Soap and tried to unscramble her thought process, not noticing him advancing towards her.

"Um…ha ha sorry about th-" But she was abruptly cut off by Soap's lips crashing down on her's quite forcefully. Ash let a few muffled gasps of shock escape from her mouth and she began bashing at Soap's shoulders as she tried to pull away from him. Soap kept Ash's arms locked down at her sides, his strength clearly outmatching her. Ash tried to scream but it was no use, every sound she made came out as barely a whisper. She tried to back up, but she was already up against the rocks, trapped from both sides.

Soap felt a deep feeling of lust and passion boil up inside of him; he had no idea where this came from. When their lips touched, some sort of spark ignited inside of him and became a raging fire for more. He wanted to deepen his kiss with Ash, but her mouth was clamped shut and his tongue brushed along her teeth. This was merely an obstacle, and he knew any obstacle could be overcome. He ran one hand up and down Ash's thigh, caressing it softly. Ash gasped in surprise as she felt Soap's hand come dangerously close to her ass, giving him the opportunity to enter. He ran his tongue over every part of her mouth, becoming familiar and tasting the sweet flavor of her tongue.

Ash was terrified; she had never seen Soap so forceful with her. He was usually so gentle and polite. Now, he was a completely different man and she didn't like it at all. After a few minutes of constant struggling, she managed to break away from Soap's grip and pushed away from him. She wiped her mouth in disgust and tears were beginning to pool in her eyes. Immediately, the feelings of want and lust washed away and Soap realized the huge mistake he just made.

He approached Ash, who seemed to jolt back as he came closer. "Ash…" He began, but she didn't even let him finish. She slapped him across the face as hard as she could, her hand stinging lightly from the force of her impact. She shot him a deathly glare and quickly ran off, she had to get away from him. Soap stood there baffled, his fingertips tracing the red welt Ash left of his face. It burned and stung immensely. He sunk to his knees, a few stray pebbles poking his knees through his pants.

_Dammit! You wanker, you've done it now! I'm such an arse, what the hell came over me? _He screamed in his head. He continuously punched the ground until he felt the blood seep through the fabric of his gloves from the raw patches of torn skin.

Meanwhile, Ash was still sprinting back to camp as fast as she could manage. She was stopped abruptly when she collided with her brother, Ghost's, bulking figure. He let a small bit of air escape from his lungs from their impact. "Whoa! Sis, you have to watch where you're going or you're going to hurt yourself again." He teased. Ash looked up at him, eyes red and wet with tears. His eyes became filled with worry through his skeleton mask as she clung to him and softly sobbed. "Hey, Ash calm down. What's wrong? Does your ankle hurt that much?" He asked as he tried to console her.

Ash ignored her brother's question; her mind was too clouded to talk right now. She just continued to let her tears stain Ghost's shirt. She was confused beyond belief; she didn't know if she was disgusted with Soap or if she was happy that he felt so strongly about her. Why couldn't everything be simpler?

*** Oh hot damn! Soap you big flirt you! Well I made him do that-blushes- I do wonder what's going to happen next-winks- stay tuned children! ***


	4. Some Brotherly Advice

*** Oh my god I'm already posting Chapter 4! –beams with excitement- It's just everyone seems so excited about this story so I don't want to keep anyone waiting! I really appreciate it and I hope you stay tuned for the rest of the story! And a message to reviewer, EPIC, Ghost finally gets his time to shine in this chapter! Hehe! Enjoy! ***

The rest of the evening passed slowly. Everyone was finally beginning to finish their daily training schedule and hurried off to the mess hall for some sort of mysterious, ill-prepared dish. As for our heroine in distress, Ashlotte, she spent her crisp evening either sitting and watching Ghost finish his training, throwing in some sisterly advice when she could, or avoiding you-know-who. If she were so more than ten feet in his vicinity, she would briskly walk off in the opposite direction. And he would always watch her sadly, knowing he couldn't say anything to stop her.

_Why do I keep running away? I should go up and tell that bastard off! _She thought furiously. _I can't keep running and hiding forever…I'm so pathetic._ She didn't really know what to do, and there weren't really any other females to go to for womanly advice. And she was pretty sure Ghost wasn't the guy to talk to about man issues; Soap would be a mangled mess in a matter of minutes.

Things weren't going so well on Soap's end either. He tried his best to keep his mind clear and focus on the last bit of his training, but his thoughts was too clouded to even lift a ten pound dumbbell. Ghost took note of this, and watched Soap with his prying blue eyes. "Hey Soap," Ghost began, placing a firm hand on his sweaty shoulder, "you look tired. Here." He said while handing him a plastic cup filled with fresh water.

"Thanks mate." Soap said, taking the cup eagerly and chugged it down savagely, as if he had been deprived of any fluids for days. Ghost watched him with careful eyes. "So…I saw Ashlotte recently. She looked pretty upset, any ideas as to what happened to her?" Ghost asked, raising an eyebrow from under his mask. Soap started to gag on his water, hacking and choking up the water that didn't go completely down his throat. Ghost watched him with mild disgust, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Well clearly whatever happened has to do with you. I was just taking a shot in the dark but your reaction says it all." Ghost said with a hint of cheekiness and satisfaction in his voice.

Soap looked up at Ghost, noting the sneaky gleam in his eyes and his mask's menacing skeleton grin. He was pretty sure Ghost had a smile on his face that matched his mask's. Soap had known Ghost for so long, he could predict his facial expressions just by looking at his blue eyes that mirrored Ash's. Soap cleared his throat, still feeling a bit hoarse from his coughing fit.

"How upset was she?" Soap asked miserably. Ghost crossed his arms over his chest and sighed.

"She was practically crying her eyes out when I saw her. Ash never cries so whatever happened must have been really bad for her." He said bluntly. Soap immediately felt a stab of guilt and Ghost could practically see a gloomy cloud lingering over Soap's head. "What exactly did you do? Did you tease my poor baby sister too much that she burst into tears?" He asked with a small huff of laughter. Soap rubbed his Mohawk-clad head and laughed nervously.

"Not…exactly…" He mumbled. Ghost eyes widened in surprise.

"Then what?" He asked quizzically. An edgy feeling rushed through Soap, knowing what he was about to tell Ghost would probably end badly. Soap motioned Ghost to come closer and whispered the entire incident into his ear and braced himself for Ghost's wrath. There was a long, awkward silence…then an explosion. "YOU DID WHAT!" Ghost boomed, his voice practically shaking the mountainside, and Soap's eardrums. Ghost grabbed Soap forcefully by his collar and pulled him close; Soap could see icicles forming in Ghost's eyes.

"That's my little sister! Do you have a personal death wish from Ash AND me? What the bloody hell were you thinking! I should rib you useless knob off right now!" Ghost roared. Soap said nothing; he just stood there and took Ghost's wrath. He knew he deserved it. After a few minutes of unmentionable things Ghost said to Soap, he finally eased up and released his hold on Soap. "I _would _kill you right here and now but 1. My sister would kill me. And 2. I've known you too long to-"

"To know I would easily kick your arse?" Soap relied with a chuckle. Ghost shot him the bird.

"Oh shut up you muppet!" Ghost snapped with a playful punch; which had more force then usual, earning a wince from Soap.

"So what should I do then? You know your sister better then anyone else does." Soap asked.

"Yeah well…I think Ash is just confused right now. I actually think she wants to apologize to you." Ghost explained. Soap's eyes widened in confusion; Ghost held his hand up so he could finish. "Ash has always been like that, ever since she was a child. Even if she isn't in the wrong, she still wants to be the one to make amends. Like once when we were playing together, I got angry with her for no reason and pushed her down into the mud. An hour later, she comes to my room sobbing saying 'Big brother…I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me.' So basically she thinks you're upset with her."

Soap nodded at Ghost. _Ash…you adorable girl you. _Soap thought to himself with a sheepish smile. "Even if she thinks that way, I'm going to apologize to her first. She deserves as much after what I did to her." Soap said, determination fueling his voice. The edges of Ghost's eyes crinkled, showing he was smiling.

"Good call mate! Go get her!" He said encouragingly, giving Soap a small pat on the shoulder. Soap shot him a smile and headed off in the other direction. Ghost sighed and cracked his shoulders. "Honestly, those two are quite a handful. I'm playing matchmaker here, sis. Here's your chance." Ghost said with a chuckle of amusement.

"Did you say something Ghost?" Captain Price asked as he walked past Ghost. Ghost shot him an innocent look.

"Ohhhh, noooo!" Ghost said like a little kid who had his hand caught in the cookie jar. Prince raised one of his bushy eyebrows and huffed a breath.

"Meh…cheeky bugger aren't you?" He asked. Ghost just laughed in response as he headed off to the mess hall. All this drama had made him quite famished. Meanwhile, Soap was on a scavenger hunt to find Ashlotte.

_That idiot thinks I'm mad at her? She should be kicking my arse off this mountain for what I did! _He thought. He looked everywhere for Ash and asked a few stray soldiers if they had seen her but his efforts were fruitless. The sun was almost set, the last bit of daylight slowly slipping away. "It's getting late…I'll come find her tent later tonight." He said aloud softly and headed back to find Ghost. Little did he know Ash was already snuggled inside her tent, contemplating today's events.

"I'm being so stupid! I should just apologize to him even though he's probably furious at me for avoiding him all day." Ash groaned as she flopped back onto her sleeping back with an _fwump. _"Why did he even kiss me? He probably just did it because he's been away from other girls for a long time and I'm the next best thing…" She said sadly, feeling a lone tear slither down her cheek. A spark of realization snapped on in her mind and she sat upright again.

"Wait…why am I upset about that? It's not like I love him or anything!" She said. A small blush dawned on her cheeks, and she felt a tug on her heart as if her body knew she was lying. _No…I can't lie to myself anymore. I do love him. I love him a lot. _She thought, placing her hands on her hot cheeks. An idea hatched in her mind. "I'll apologize to him tonight! When everyone is asleep. I'd rather have him as a friend then lose him all together." She said with extreme determination.

At last, the sun set and the pale moon floated up into the gentle night sky, joining the sea of stars. Tonight, there would be a rendezvous under the watchful gaze of the moon.

*** Oh man! Soap and Ghost had a fight, we got to see their bromance, and now the dynamic couple is having a little get-together –smiles- Hehe what's going to happen? KYAH ONLY ONE CHAPTER LEFT UNTIL THE EPILOGUE! ***


	5. The Watchful Gaze of the Moon

*** Oh boy last chapter, then we have the epilogue after this! Oh man, I'm really just overwhelmed at how popular this story is! Anywho, on to Heat Wave Chapter 5! ***

The sun finally finished it's daily routine and the moon took it's place in the sky. A sea of infinite stars twinkled faintly like freshly polished diamonds. Soldiers began to neatly file to their freshly pitched tents for a night of well-deserved rest. Ghost and Soap were roommates, or tent-mates, and they walked back to their tent, Ghost letting out a held yawn. Soap glanced at Ash's tent out of the corner of his eye and nodded. _Tonight…_

The night hours slowly ticked by and everyone was snoring peacefully in their slumber. Soap's eyes were glued open, feeling an anxious feeling eat away inside of him. He silently rose from his sleeping bag, careful as to not trip over Ghost and draw the curtain on his plan. He unzipped the tent as quietly as he could and slipped out into the breezy, nighttime air. After Soap was a safe distance away, Ghost snickered mischievously to himself. "Have fun you two." He mumbled to himself then rolled onto his side, drifting back into blissful sleep.

Meanwhile, Soap was creeping past other tents, zigzagging through a maze of temporary houses. He knew Ash's tent was isolated from the others since she was the only female on the Task Force. "Okay, I'll try to wake her up and before she beats every last breath out of me, I'll apologize to her. If she doesn't accept it…I'll figure something else out." He mumbled to himself, rubbing his forehead lightly. Similar thoughts were drifting through Ash's mind as she was stumbling towards Soap's tent.

"Ugh…I feel like a psychopath, going to see him at this time of night." She snarled to herself. "I'll just wake him up, grumble an apology then go back to bed." She felt a small blush creep up on her face and tried her best to shake it off. The only source of light was the pale glow of the full moon, a ray of pearl-white cascading down onto the mountainside. Ash looked up in wonder, the moon reflecting in her ocean eyes. "Oh wow…its so-" She began to say aloud but was cut off when she careened into a muscular bulk.

She felt back hard onto the hard rocky floor while whoever she bumped into stood tall, not even affected by their collision. Ash winced in pain, fury boiling up inside of her. "Bloody hell, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Why don't you watch where you're goi-" She hissed icily but immediately held her tongue when she realized it was Soap she crashed into. He cocked an eyebrow at her and she immediately looked down, ashamed she snapped at him. Soap's eyes softened as he look at Ash curled up on the ground like a scolded child.

"I'm sorry..." He said meekly. Ash looked up in surprise and held her hands out in defense.

"Oh! No no it was my fault! I ran into you and-" She began, stumbling over her words as if speaking were an arduous task. Soap held his hand up and cut her off.

"No, not that and I know you know that. I'm so sorry about earlier Ashlotte. I took advantage of you and forced myself on you. I'm such a monster for doing that and I didn't even consider your feelings. I was just thinking about myself. I'm so sorry." He said, choking on his words. Ash's eyes widened in surprise; she had never heard Soap sound so upset and so…vulnerable. He seemed like he was just so open to the world when he usually was always on his guard. Ash felt her heart thudding in her chest like a hammer against cloth.

Soap felt Ash's gaze on him; he felt his cheeks burn hotter then he had ever felt before and he clenched his fist, practically feeling the skin around his knuckles tighten around the bone. Ash opened her mouth, the words "I'm sorry" on the edge of her tongue but Soap put his hand up abruptly once more. "Ash, please don't waste your forgiveness on me. You did nothing wrong in the slightest. And I know I have no right to say this right now but…" Soap gently took Ash's frail hand in his, the warmth of his fingertips on her practically shot electricity up Ash's spine. She looked into his deep blue eyes that seemed to sparkle in the pale moonlight glow.

"Ashy…" He cleared his throat, contemplating his words carefully. "Ashlotte…I've known you for years. I've watched over you very carefully, making sure no harm has ever or will come to you. You may think I'm just doing that for Ghost's sake, but I'm doing it so I will never loose you. Everyday with you is a gift. I can't hide it any longer, Ashlotte Madeline Riley, I love you." He said, determination and love fueling his words.

The words seem to replay over and over again in Ash's mind. Soap's ocean eyes gazed intently into her's. Her knees felt weak and her heart was beating so hard, she thought it would leap out of her chest. A small array of tears began to streak down her cheeks, glistening in the moonlight. Soap carefully wiped them away with his index finger, trying to contain himself from caressing her soft cheek. He reluctantly released her hand and took a small step back.

"I'm sorry…you must feel really overwhelmed right now. This day has been crazy. I'll let you sleep for now, good night." He said with a smile, but you could see sorrow teeming in his eyes. He turned and began to walk away, hands buried deep in his pockets. Ash knew more then anything that she didn't want him to go. A raging river of different emotions swirled through her body as she dashed towards and wrapped him arms tightly around his waist. Soap let out a small-exasperated breath at Ash's tight grip.

"Don't go…John please don't go." Ash pleaded, her tears soaking through the fabric of Soap's shirt. Soap felt a tug on his heart at the sound of Ash's sweet voice saying his real name. He glanced down at her quivering hands and placed his own over hers.

"Ash?" He asked questioningly, waiting to hear her reason for wanting him to stay. Ash tried to speak but all that came out was a mangled squeak.

"I…I…" She began, her throat feeling dry and hoarse. "I…love you too John. I love you so much that I feel my heart is going to burst. Please don't go John, please! That will kill me!" She wept, the words just flowing out of her and she felt relieved that she had finally let those feelings out. She had kept them locked up inside of her for so long, but Soap's words to her had been the key to unlock her heart.

Soap's cheeks were on fire; hearing Ash tell him he loved her back had made his heart go into a frenzy. He uncoiled her arms from around him and turned to face her, looking back into those perfect eyes of hers. He gave her a warm smile, the sides of his eyes crinkling slightly and she immediately felt all the blood rush to her face. That smile of his could make her heart skip ten beats. Soap chuckled lightly and whispered into her ear, "You're cute," he lips gently nibbling and grazing her earlobe. Ash shot him a glare, trying her best to keep her composure and not melting in ecstasy.

"Shut up you cretin." She grumbled, earning another laugh from Soap. Once again, they locked eyes and looked passionately into one another's gaze. They only sound they could hear were their breathing and the light pounding of their hearts; all other sounds were cast out from their little world. Ash's bangs slightly covered her eyes and Soap pushed it back gently over her ear. He cupped her cheek with his warm and caressed it sweetly. He gave her a sweet smile and she returned his smile gladly, and then quickly looked away out of embarrassment.

Soap leaned in towards her, his breath tickling her cheek and she gasped lightly. He stopped just a few inches before her nose. "Ashlotte, may I kiss you?" He asked chivalrously as he wrapped his free hand around her waist, pulling their bodies closer together. Ash's muscles knotted up and her thoughts were fuzzy, but she knew what she wanted.

"Yes…" She whispered back, her eyes fluttering shut. He continued to lean in closer until their noses touched.

"I love you." He said, his voice filled with love.

"I love you too." She said with a small giggle. Finally, their lips met in a soft, sweet, and gentle kiss. Ash thought time stood still; this was the kiss she had been waiting for. All of the sudden, the first kiss seemed to flood out of her mind as if it had never happened. She just wanted to live in this moment forever, Soap's lips locked with hers. After what seemed like a lifetime, they finally parted and stared lovingly into each other's eyes. Ash giggled as she ran her hand over Soap's cheeks, his beard stubble tickling her palm. She casually took his hand and began to lead him back towards her tent, skipping merrily with a mischievous smile playing on her face. Soap chuckled lightly at her antics. "Cunning girl" He said with a smirk. She just winked back at him as they approached her tent.

The troublesome couple fell asleep in each other's arms. What else happened, well, the watchful eyes of the moon were the only witness.

*** OHHHH MAN! Intense chapter right there! I'm very sorry it took so long. Its not that I'm lazy (yes I am…) But I was just busy! (No I wasn't) SHUT UP ME! Well the epilogue will be up soon! –Cries- I'm so touched by all the support and good comments I received. I know I say this every chapter but shut up and let me be grateful you wonderful people THANK YOU ALL * **


	6. Finale

*** ****Well…it's finally time to conclude this wonderful tale of Ash and Soap! The cutest COD couple ever! I wish she was real ; .; On with the finale! ***

After a long and peaceful night, the sun finally began to peak up through the mountain valleys. The cool evening breeze was immediately washed away and replaced with a scorching hot, windless day. The Task Force was up early, stretching to ease out their stiff muscles and preparing for another day of relentless, rigorous training. The groggy men were immediately snapped out of their dazed state by the sound of Ashlotte's joyous chirping.

"Sooooooooappppyyyy!" Ash singsonged as she trotted up alongside, Soap linking arms with him. Everyone's eyes were glued onto the two, bemused at their all-of-a-sudden fondness of one another. Soap gave her a gentle smile and patted her silky, jet-black hair.

"You're awfully cheerful today." He teased as she stuck his tongue out at him. She playfully punched his shoulder.

"Yes because I know I'm going to kick your arse in today's obstacle course!" She said confidently. Soap cocked an eyebrow at her and eyed her healing ankle. She shot daggers at him, her eyes sharp and fierce. "Eyes up her, thank you!"

"You're going to beat me, eh?" He asked with a smirk. He dashed off, leaving Ash behind as he got a head start. She looked up in surprise, clenching her first. "Not if I get there before you Princess." He called challengingly. Ash snarled ferociously.

"Damn you!" She barked, taking chase to him immediately. Price stared at the two intently, pondering to himself as he stroked his mustache.

"They seem awfully friendly. What happened to those two, Ghost?" He asked, turning his attention towards Ghost. Ghost chuckled mischievously; his mask's skeleton grin seemed wider and sneakier today. The sun glinted off his sunglasses and his pale blue eyes glowed.

"Why sir, I have no idea." He snickered as the new day began to unfold before him.

*** Well, that draws the curtain on Heat Wave. It's been a wonderful journey and this is not Ash's last story. I'm working on new stories and if you would like to see her again, please let me know. ****–Smiles sheepishly- Please tell me what you think of her. Thank you for all your support! This is Vivi, signing out for now. ***


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